Thursday July 20 at 6:00pm – Book Club
Come join us for tea, dessert and discussion of A Man Called Ove

3. Sherman County Seeks Art Work for Courthouse Addition

The Sherman County Project Team is actively seeking Sherman County-themed art work for display in the courthouse addition currently under construction. The team is interested in any two-dimensional media (drawing, painting, printmaking, photography, etc) for display inside the addition.

Deadline for submittal is August 31. For the initial screening, please provide an 8″ by 10″ color photograph or digital image of the proposed article. Include the dimensions of the actual article, if the size is fixed, along with a description of how the article relates to Sherman County and any relationship between the contributor and Sherman County. If the project team is interested in directly inspecting the article, arrangements will be made with the contributor to do so.

We know there are several talented local artists and photographers out there and encourage each one to contribute. There is no restriction upon the number of articles that can be submitted for consideration. Sherman County will offer a stipend, the amount of which is to be determined, for each piece of art work acquired. Submittals can be made by mail to PO Box 282, Moro, OR 97039 or by email to debbieh@co.sherman.or.us Questions may be directed to the same email address.

4. Four Emerging Misconceptions On Social Media About The Upcoming Great American Eclipse

By Marshall Shepherd. A rare total solar eclipse will happen in the United States on August 21st, 2017. It will be a spectacle to see and the word is getting out to the public. Inevitably with science, misconceptions and inaccurate statements are emerging on social media. As a climate scientist, I am used to the public shaping its own understanding of science based on personal experiences or interpretations. People believe that deserts do not get cold or that climate change is not real because it snows in the winter, but I digress. It is important for scientists to help increase science literacy using “teachable moments.” I thought that it would be useful to clear up some of the emerging misconceptions about the Great American Eclipse that I noticed on my own social media pages. I suspect that they represent a sample of thoughts by others.

If you are not in the path of totality you will not experience anything. I recently pondered on social media about what local school systems in North Georgia and the Atlanta area would do with the students since peak darkness will be around 2:30 or so. This is the time that many schools in our area dismiss students. Given that most of the diagrams that I have seen in media outlets and websites show the path of 100% totality (as below), it is natural that some people might interpret that as meaning something is only going to happen in path of totality. I prefer the graphic shown above because it conveys much more information on what someone is likely to see given their position. I am a professor at the University of Georgia and we are hosting a massive viewing party in iconic Sanford Stadium. This map shows what we can expect in a region of 99.1% totality in Athens, Georgia. It should be noted that I captured a snapshot in time near Georgia, but I strongly recommend the full animation at this website developed by former colleagues of mine at NASA. As pointed out by colleagues at Great American Eclipse, viewing the full animation will prevent any misinterpretation of the snapshot image.

5. Two Little Words

What if there were two little words that could help you unlock your imagination, allowing you to create the kind of future you would most like to have? What if these two words could boost your creativity, improve your decision-making power, and move you steadily toward a future that will give you what you want in life? What if you could put these two little words to work for you today?

And here is a little hint: You’ve already seen these two words not once, not twice, but three times in the past few seconds. Those two words are “what if,” and they are every bit as powerful as has been suggested.

If you have children, get into the habit of playing the “What If” game with them while they are still very young. Ask them questions like, “What if you decided to show your teacher how smart and hard-working you really are?” or “What if you wanted to make tomorrow a super-special day?” You will be helping them learn to evaluate possibilities and make wise choices by entering into dialogue with themselves and exploring many alternatives.

While you are at it, why not play the game yourself? What if you decided to go back to school? What if you asked for a raise, or quit your job? What if you wanted to have the best marriage you could possibly have? And what if you decided to treat yourself like the loving, and lovable, person you are in every circumstance?

You get the idea. The “What If” game is an easy way to help you visualize your options, and focus on those that you really want to pursue; but you need to keep those options positive. You can “what if” yourself to the point that you scare yourself away from the possibilities of a new, positive future.

Now, what if you started to play the “What If” game today? ~The Pacific Institute